Canlaon City – The City Nutrition Committee of Canlaon, province of Negros Oriental pushed cabbage planting among families with malnourished children in the city. Canlaon City is known to be the summer capital of the Visayas, also famous for vegetable basket. Vegetable Production is one of the sources of income for farmers in the place. Low income and families with underweight kids were given assistance in the form of seeds, planting materials and technical assistance so they can start their cabbage production.
For a farmer who is lucky enough planting one hectare of cabbage seeds, will yield and have a net income for three times harvest for two months duration is Php 120.000.00 or more. Expenses for planting until harvest time is Thirty Thousand (30,000) to Thirty Five Thousand (35,000) per hectare.
Cabbage is incredibly nutritious. The vegetable is the storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood. Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C. It is also rich in essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish. It also contains adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation. Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin K. Vitamin-K has the potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. So enough vitamin K in the diet gives you healthy bones. In addition, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
With the onset of the summer season, the repair and rehabilitation of existing irrigation canals is recommended in the vegetable areas, this is in preparation for the coming of the dry season in order for the farmers to utilize their areas and maximize their production with the availability of water for irrigation.
Come and enjoy the freshness of Canlaon City being the vegetable basket of the Visayas and experience the coolness of the place. //CNPC Maria Delgie C. Pepino
